September 25 -- BrightSource Energy’s massive solar farm in a remote corner of California delivered its first flow of power to the grid, an important step for demonstrating that the project is on the final path to become a fully operating power plant, the company said Tuesday. >>View Article

September 17 -- We've marked a number of solar market milestones at GTM. In 2010, the global market installed 10 gigawatts of PV solar in a single year. This year the market will reach more than 34 gigawatts. The 832 megawatts installed in the U.S. in Q2 2013 brings the cumulative operating PV capacity in the U.S. to 8,858 megawatts, according to GTM Research. And that means the U.S. will eclipse the 10-gigawatt-installed mark later this year. >>View Article

September 17 -- Massive population, lots of sunshine and friendly policies have made California the solar leader in the U.S., and two newly passed laws look like they’ll only solidify the state’s position. One bill that cleared the Legislature this week establishes a hefty community solar program; another appears to keep net metering – a huge incentive for rooftop solar – on course for further growth, although the legislation also contains potentially complicating provisions. >>View Article

September 16 -- Ann Arbor’s historic Michigan Theater is going solar. Or at least its marquee is. The solar energy installation marks the first renewable energy project by XSeed Energy, which is part of the Ann Arbor Solar Plan, according to The Ann Arbor News. The U.S. Department of Energy’s Solar America Cities program provided initial funding for XSeed, which resulted from a partnership between the city and Clean Energy Coalition. >>View Article

September 11 -- Solar panels are the next granite countertops: an amenity for new homes that’s becoming a standard option for buyers in U.S. markets. At least six of 10 largest U.S. homebuilders led by KB Home include the photovoltaic devices in new construction, according to supplier SunPower Corp. (SPWR:US) Two California towns are mandating installations, and demand for the systems that generate electricity at home will jump 56 percent nationwide this year, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. >>View Article

September 4 -- The Strip’s historic “Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas” sign will glow with solar power this winter. Clark County commissioners approved on Tuesday a plan that will install solar trees nearby, putting that alternative energy into the sign’s lights, which have brightened the Strip’s south edge since 1959. >>View Article

September 4 -- Crain Hill Vineyards in Leelanau County is touted as the first in Michigan to run 100% on solar power, and a start-up energy business sees an opportunity for homes and farms because of the steep price drops to install solar in the last year. >>View Article

September 3 -- Despite an abundance of sunshine, Georgia lags behind other states in installing solar power. That’s poised to change, and as it does, solar is making new friends out of old rivals. >>View Article